Al Jazeera Investigates

Who knew a murder-for-hire would be so complicated? This remarkable, undercover conversation with an admitted member of the Ulster Volunteer Force, a paramilitary organization from Northern Ireland, lays out the grizzly logistics of a contract killing. No detail is too small: the cost, the location, the weapons. There’s a cold calculus to it: each choice affects the odds of a clean kill and the attendant risks of being found out. This is true crime playing out in real time. This episode was written and produced by Kevin Hirten with Simon Boazman and Craig Pennington who is also the audio editor. Additional editing by Manny Panaretos. Clean Cuts did the final sound mix. Rafi Mustafa is Manager of Investigative Programs for Al Jazeera English. And Mohammed Al-Hamadi is our Director of Programs.

The historic connections between the UVF and right-wing politics is well documented.  Even so, it was shocking that the man who introduced us to Nessie, the violent paramilitary member prepared to arrange a murder, was the CEO of Turning Point UK, Jack Ross.  In this episode, Al Jazeera Investigates the dangerous links between right-wing activists stoking rage online and violent, far right criminal organizations. At a time when simply holding a sign supporting a proscribed organization is enough to send someone to prison, Turning Point UK has some explaining to do.  Why is its CEO playing middleman to a murder for hire plot with a man he himself called a “terrorist.” This episode was written and produced by Kevin Hirten with Simon Boazman and Craig Pennington who is also the audio editor. Additional editing by Manny Panaretos.  Clean Cuts did the final sound mix. Rafi Mustafa is Manager of Investigative Programs for Al Jazeera English.  And Mohammed Al-Hamadi is our Director of Programs.

It all starts with an undercover meeting about a murder for hire. An admitted member of a Northern Irish paramilitary group called the Ulster Volunteer Force, the UVF, says he can arrange to have a man killed. So, we travel to Belfast to track him down. In this episode, Al Jazeera Investigates the violent factional history of the UVF and how the organization has evolved and expanded since the 1998 Good Friday peace agreement. What happens to paramilitary group when the fighting stops? They don’t go away, they adapt and in the case of the UVF, it has become a violent, international drug cartel willing to sell its services to the highest bidder. This episode was written and produced by Kevin Hirten with Simon Boazman and Craig Pennington who is also the audio editor. Additional editing by Manny Panaretos. Clean Cuts did the final sound mix. Rafi Mustafa is Manager of Investigative Programs for Al Jazeera English.  And Mohammed Al-Hamadi is our Director of Programs.

When Bangladeshi’s woke up on the morning of August 5, 2024 no one knew what would happen. Hundreds of thousands of people were planning to march to the capital. But security forces still loyal to Sheikh Hasina were determined to keep her in power no matter the cost. Until the final minutes, her fate remained uncertain. The last day of the uprising would be the deadliest and most dramatic.  Episode Credits: This episode was written and produced by me, Kevin Hirten and  Tamara Khandaker with Craig Pennington who is also our audio editor. Additional editing by Manny Panarertos. Clean Cuts did the final sound mix  Black Box did the music for this series. Will Thorne is the Executive Producer. And Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s Head of Audio.

With the internet shut off, Sheikh Hasina attempts to claw back the narrative. But as the uprising reaches its final days, it becomes clear that her cruel crackdown on the students has backfired. There’s no turning back. A fateful decision from Bangladesh’s most powerful institution puts Sheikh Hasina’s government on a glidepath to collapse.  Episode Credits: This episode was written and produced by me, Kevin Hirten and  Tamara Khandaker with Craig Pennington who is also our audio editor. Additional editing by Manny Panarertos. Clean Cuts did the final sound mix  Black Box did the music for this series. Will Thorne is the Executive Producer.And Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s Head of Audio.

Abu Sayed’s death super charges the uprising and Sheikh Hasina is determined to put a stop to it. In this episode, we’ll hear Hasina, on exclusively obtained recordings, authorizing deadly force. As the situation worsens she makes two fateful decisions. She calls the Army in and turns the internet off.   Episode Credits: This episode was written and produced by me, Kevin Hirten and Tamara Khandaker with Craig Pennington who is also our audio editor. Additional editing by Manny Panarertos. Clean Cuts did the final sound mix  Black Box composed original music for this series. Will Thorne is the Executive Producer. And Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s Head of Audio.

Abu Sayed, a young man from a poor village, is shot dead while standing up to police in front of his university campus. With thousands watching the tragic scene on livestream, he becomes instantly viewed as a martyr. Sheikh Hasina, whose political career was grounded in the martyrdom of her famous father, scrambles to change the narrative and help turn Abu Sayed from a hero into a villain.   Episode Credits: This episode was written and produced by me, Kevin Hirten and  Tamara Khandaker with Craig Pennington who is also our audio editor. Additional editing by Manny Panaretos. Clean Cuts did the final sound mix  Black Box composed original music for this series. Will Thorne is the Executive Producer. And Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s Head of Audio.    

After 15 years in office, Sheikh Hasina’s stranglehold on power starts to loosen.   A grievous insult leveled at student protesters catapults a long simmering dispute over government jobs into a full fledged rebellion. When students take to the streets, the government deploys armed gangs to beat them into submission. It’s a tactic that has worked in the past, but this time the students are fighting back like never before.  Episode Credits: This episode was written and produced by Kevin Hirten and Tamara Khandaker with Craig Pennington who is also the audio editor. Additional editing by Manny Panaretos. Clean Cuts did the final sound mix. Black Box did music for this series. Will Thorne is the Executive Producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s Head of Audio.

On October 9th, 2024 the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) hosted a Westminster screening of @AJIunit's newest documentary Gaza. The film examines evidence of possible Israeli war crimes committed in Gaza using images and videos posted by Israeli soldiers themselves. A panel discussion followed the screening with experts answering questions about if and how International Law can be used to hold Israel accountable. In this episode: Susan Abulhawa - Human Rights Activist and Author Youmna Elsayed - Al Jazeera Gaza Strip Correspondent Haydee Dijkstal - Barrister and Chief Counsel at ICJP  Dr Victoria Rose - NHS Plastic Surgeon  Richard Sanders - Director, 'Gaza' Jeremy Corbyn - MP, Former Labour Leader Dania Abul Haj - ICJP Senior Legal Officer  Episode credits: This episode was produced by Kevin Hirten and Sami Vanderlip. It was edited by Manny Panaretos and Craig Pennington. Alex Roldan did the final sound mix. Rafi Mustafa is Al Jazeera's acting director of investigative journalism and Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera's head of audio. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube @AJIUnit on Twitter, Instagram

Al Jazeera Investigates/The Take  A new @AJIunit documentary investigates thousands of posts from social media documenting war crimes by Israeli soldiers in Gaza. This interview with the film's director, Richard Sanders, examines what this database exposes about the last year of war – what’s being called the first “live streamed genocide”? This episode first aired on October 8, 2024. In this episode: Richard Sanders (@PulaRJS), Director, “Gaza” Episode credits: This episode was produced by Chloe K. Li, David Enders, and Ashish Malhotra with Manny Panaretos, Cole van Miltenburg, Duha Mosaad, Hagir Saleh, and our host, Kevin Hirten.  The sound designer is Alex Roldan.  Our lead of audience development and engagement is Aya Elmileik. Munera Al Dosari and Adam Abou-Gad are our engagement producers. Alexandra Locke is the Take’s executive producer.  Rafi Mustafa is Al Jazeera's acting director of investigative journalism and Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.  Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube @AJIUnit on Twitter, Instagram